Designing an above and beyond shelf like a pro

DESIGNING AN ABOVE AND BEYOND SHELF LIKE A PRO

It goes without saying that shelves in homes have made a strong impact on design. Gone are the days when a book shelf had to be boring and mundane, stocked with paperbacks. Today many of the books are on the kindle and shelves have opened up into a world of adventure. Then there are some of us who still love a book in hand and want to honor the humble shelf with books and a whole lot more. This article is not about creating an ordinary shelf, this is about creating a truely well designed magical shelf which is a masterpiece onto itself and makes its viewers go, “wow, did you do that all by yourself!”;)

Here are the highlights of what to keep in mind when creating your awe inspiring #shelfie:

Books can be arranged in many ways.

Yes, you may have to use your shelf functionally by arranging your books but there are many fun ways to arrange books. For one you can arrange them by color the VIBGYOR way. You could also choose to layer some vertically and some horizontally. If your books are more about style and being read less, think about covering a few in brown paper or a black cover. Then intersperse them in layers.

Blend texture and layers

Oftentimes a shelf can be made interesting by blending multiple textures and layers. By bringing in a mix of material in home decor such as glass, wood, metal, one can create a shelf experience which is above and beyond!

Greenery adds a great touch

The truth is greens may take an extra effort to add on but when you are designing an above and beyond shelf so to speak, they have a vital role to play. One can either include a few succulents if you want low maintenance or if you truly believe you kill all plants (like me) then go for interesting faux plants in planters to bring some green in on your shelf.

Create a theme

Themes are mini topics for your shelf. Think about it like making this shelf your very own personal space which speaks to you. For instance, A part of the shelf could be about your travels, a part about your pet and another about a passion. Or all of it could be about your travels interspersed with books and greens!

Think big and small

The idea of a magical shelf is about mixing up items of a larger size and smaller size. If one has all items of the same size it does not make the ordinary shelf extraordinary so to speak. So go a little adventurous and group items of different size. Invest time in finding the right pieces so that everyone goes wow when they see that shelf of yours! Measure the layers of your shelf and put together a few items which are both big and small.

The shelf does not end at the shelf itself!

Most folks restrict their imagination to the shelf itself but broaden your perspective to the immediate area around your shelf and you may see so much more. For starters a pretty shelf should be surrounded by a clean surrounding. Following that re-look at warming up or creating intrigue in the area around it. Based on your shelf you can add a set of planters, a basket, a floor sculpture or another piece to enhance the shelf itself. In this area we interspersed the shelf with planters to create more momentum in design.

If you have had fun designing a unique shelf please mail in your pictures to studio@bluegrapeinc.com (and instagram handle if you want) and if selected we will have them here for inspiration!